10 puzzling All-Star picks of last 10 years

A look at the All-Stars who maybe should have stayed home

He's an All-Star? Seriously?

Not every All-Star is cut from the same cloth. Some get in on popularity votes. Some get in because the rules say every team needs a representative. So get in because … well, we’re not always sure why some of guys get in. Here’s a looking at 10 puzzling All-Star selections from the last 10 years.

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10

2B Jose Lopez, Mariners (2006)

Lopez (right) was having a fine season when Ozzie Guillen selected him as a reserve behind Mark Loretta (blame Red Sox Nation) and Robinson Cano, having hit nine homers and driven in 58 runs. What’s curious is how did the Orioles’ Brian Roberts get left off this team. He led AL second basemen in WAR (3.1) and steals (36), while Lopez only hit one more home run the rest of the year.

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9

2B Mark Loretta, Red Sox (2006)

Behold the power of Red Sox Nation: The former Padres’ All-Star was hitting a.305 with three homers and 37 RBIs when the fans voted him in as a starter in his first year in Boston. It’s a solid campaign, but certainly not star worthy when you consider who didn’t make the team – Brian Roberts, remember?

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8

SP Kevin Correia, Pirates (2011)

The Pirates deserve all the All-Stars they have in this year’s game. Two years ago, that wasn’t the case. Sure, Correia was an 11-game winner at the break that year, but neither his 4.01 ERA nor his 1.28 WHIP screamed star. With Andrew McCutchen and Joel Hanrahan already on the team, 21-game winner Ian Kennedy had every right to feel snubbed by NL manager Bruce Bochy.

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7

SP Esteban Loaiza, White Sox (2004)

When he won 21 games in 2003, yes, Loaiza was an All-Star. But in 2004, despite a respectable 8-4 record, Loaiza was sitting on a 4.77 ERA and 1.41 WHIP at the break. One notable omission that year: 20-game winner Johan Santana.

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6

SP Mark Redman, Royals (2006)

The Escondido High graduate’s owes his lone All-Star appearance to the game’s rules. He had a 5.27 ERA and a 32-32 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 82 innings when he was the Royals’ lone representative.

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5

RP Brian Wilson, Giants (2008)

Certainly an All-Star-caliber player later in his career, Wilson (left) had 25 saves at the break when he got his first selection. He also had a 4.58 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. What’s worse, Wilson wasn’t the only Giant (Tim Lincecum) selected to the NL squad.

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4

1B Bryan LaHair, Cubs (2012)

A year after managing his way onto the NL squad with a .286 average, 14 homers and 30 RBIs, LaHair finds himself continuing his career in Japan this year. So much for star power. LaHair hit just two more homers the rest of the way, while the Nationals’ Adam LaRoche led NL first basemen with 33 homers and 100 RBIs for the year – and didn’t make the team.

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3

3B Scott Rolen, Reds (2011)

Rolen must have been a heck of a popular player in Cincinnati. He was hitting .241 with five homers and 36 RBIs at the time he was voted in as a starter for the NL. His inclusion helped keep 21-game winner Ian Kennedy off the roster.

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2

C Jason Varitek, Red Sox (2008)

Varitek was hitting .218 with seven homers, 28 RBIs and a .653 OPS when Red Sox manager Terry Francona brought him along as a third catcher. If Francona really needed three catchers, Kurt Suzuki, A.J. Pierzynski and Ramon Hernandez all would have been better choices.

1

SS Cesar Izturis, Dodgers, (2005)

Hard to figure this one: Izturis was hitting .275 with 1 homer, 20 RBIs and five steals when he joined Jeff Kent as the Dodgers’ second All-Star. Did the NL really need four shortstops on the roster behind starter David Eckstein, Jimmy Rollins and Felipe Lopez. If so, why not go with the Braves’ Rafael Furcal that year?